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March 24: Look back at Australian cricket’s most haunted day

From Australia’s first World Cup defeat in 12 years to the infamous ball-tampering scandal in South Africa, it all happened on March 24.

March 24: Look back at Australian cricket’s most haunted day

Steve Smith file image'. (Photo: AFP)

There are some days in sports that remain immortal in the glorious words of the history books, which the fans and the sportspersons look back with pride.

On the other hand, there are some days which bring up old wounds and March 24 is that kind of a day in Australian cricket. From their first World Cup defeat in 12 years to the infamous ball-tampering scandal in South Africa, it all happened on this day.

1. Australia taste first World Cup defeat of the decade

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Australia, unbeaten in the ICC event since 1999, went to the quarterfinal match of the ICC World Cup 2011 as the favourites. Batting first, captain Ricky Ponting led his team from the front, scaring the Indians with a flashback from their last meeting in the World Cup in the final of 2003.

However, other than the skipper no other batsman looked threatening enough as India restricted them to 260. A collective effort from the batters and an all-round performance from India’s main man Yuvraj Singh saw the Men in Blue clinch a historic victory on March 24 in Ahmedabad.

2. Australia lose 4-0 against India in 2013 Border Gavaskar Trophy

After suffering the humiliating whitewash in Australia, India had the perfect revenge over the Kangaroos as they defeated them in a similar margin and handed them their first four-match Test series whitewash since 1970.

While for India it was the first time that they won four Tests matches on the trot since joining the elite bandwagon. India won the fourth test by six wickets on March 24 after Ravindra Jadeja shone with the ball and Cheteshwar Pujara did the hard work with the bat.

3. Ball-tampering scandal in South Africa in 2018

More than the above-mentioned incidents, this one has given Australian Cricket its deepest wound and the scariest nightmare. The cricketing world woke up to a shock as visuals of Cameron Bancroft scratching the surface of the ball with sandpaper emerged.

The incident, which happened during the third Test against South Africa in Cape Town on March 24, 2018, led to the Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull calling it a “shocking disappointment”.

The controversy got further heated up after Bancroft and then-Australian captain Steve Smith admitted to the use of the sandpaper and accepted their mistake. Their admission was followed by vice-captain David Warner, who was thought to have encouraged the idea, accepting his part as well.

The trio was handed a year-long ban by Cricket Australia from all forms of the sport.

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